Golconda, Nevada

Golconda, Nevada
Census-designated place
Golconda Location within the state of Nevada
Coordinates: 40°57′12″N 117°29′21″W / 40.95333°N 117.48917°WCoordinates: 40°57′12″N 117°29′21″W / 40.95333°N 117.48917°W
Country	United States
State	Nevada
County	Humboldt
Area
• Total	9.0 sq mi (23.4 km^2)
• Land	9.0 sq mi (23.4 km^2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km^2)
Population (2010)
• Total	214
• Density	24/sq mi (9.1/km^2)
Time zone	Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
• Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC-7)
FIPS code	32-28500
Nevada Historical Marker
Reference no.	105

Golconda is a census-designated place in southeastern Humboldt County, Nevada, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 214.^[1] It is located along Interstate 80 on the Humboldt River in the northwestern part of the state.

It was named for the ancient diamond mining center of Golkonda in India.^[2]

History

Golconda School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Golconda was established when discovery of copper, silver, gold, and lead brought entrepreneurs who opened mines and mills in the district. The town was a diverse society including both native-born European Americans as well as other groups including individuals of French, Portuguese, Paiute, and Chinese descent who all lived and worked in the small community. During 1898-1910, the town had a train depot, several hotels, a school, businesses, newspapers, and two brothels. Its population peaked at about six hundred in 1907-08. Although boosters predicted growth for Golconda, after 1910 the mines played out, leaving the region as an area of ranches and farms. Most of the town's buildings from its mining heyday are gone, and Golconda today is a minor stop on Interstate 80.^[3]

Geography

The community lies at an elevation of approximately 4,350 feet (1,330 m) 12 mi (19 km) east of Winnemucca across the Sonoma Range and 5.7 mi (9.2 km) west of Golconda Summit, a nearby mountain pass on Edna Mountain.^[4] The Osgood Mountains lie across the Humboldt River to the north. A post office is located in the community.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Golconda CDP has an area of 9.0 square miles (23.4 km²), all land.^[1]

References

1. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Golconda CDP, Nevada". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
2. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 139.
3. John M. Gomes, "Golconda's Glory Days, 1898-1910," Nevada Historical Society Quarterly, June 2007, Vol. 50#2 pp 145-167
4. USGS Winnemucca, Nevada, 30 x 60 minute quadrangle, US Geological Survey 1986